Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Our Busy August

I want to give an update since my output has dwindled significantly because of our busy August. First is an extended weekend camping requiring preparation, then there de-cluttering at the end. When you own a travel trailer there is less of this work than when pulling a folding camper, but one cannot get away from it. The day following our camping weekend, I began a two-week scoring project down at Pearson. This will carry me through Friday, and the next assignment does not begin until September 10. (As an aside, I have had two interviews for a full-time position in town, but the soonest a decision can be made is September 8).

I was offered a chance to preach at our home assembly in August, to which I agreed and accepted the final Sunday (30th). I took as my texts the Three-Year Lectionary readings for that date as used by Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The main reason I bring up that fact is because I was later asked if I could speak August 23 instead because of scheduling difficulties filling the Sunday slots. I now needed to concentrate on preparation. Tuesday, I received a request for the Bible text(s), title, and outline to prepare the bulletin the next day. Panic now sets in. I was able to partially deliver with texts and title Thursday during lunch

Friday I began coming down down with a sore throat, which was not a real concern, but it should have been. Saturday morning I was miserable and when to an urgent care facility. They told me it was a viral infection and just suffer through it for a day or two. Except I had to preach the next morning and had little voice with which to work. Swallowing was painful. Ibuprofen, herbal tea, and vitamin water became my constant friends. (As an update, I went to my family doctor, who immediately prescribed Z-Pak, and I feel much better though still not 100%.)

Sunday morning I preached two services, and it was a challenge. People could tell I was struggling, and those sitting to my right were able to see the pained faces I made when trying to drink what I had on hand. If you are interested in hearing the raspy-voiced message, you can go to the Sermon page. Mine is entitled It's Worse than You Imagined and Better than You Hoped.

Hopefully, I can get more on track now that we are beyond that zaniness.